Bollard and cable vehicle barrier

ABSTRACT

A below-grade collapsible bollard and cable vehicle barrier system disposed in a vehicle pathway. The system comprises one or more bollard devices that include a vault located in the vehicle pathway, a rod rotatably mounted inside the vault, a bollard having a first end coupled to the rod, whereby rotation of the rod rotates the bollard to extend the second end thereof above the vehicle pathway. An actuator is secured within the vault for rotating the rod and thus raising the bollard. A cable is disposed perpendicular to the vehicle pathway with each end thereof affixed to anchors on either side of the pathway. The middle of the cable is affixed to the second end of the bollard. When the bollard is raised the cable is stretched across the pathway forming a barrier to traffic.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation of Provisional Application No.60/557,506, filed Mar. 30, 2004, and incorporates elements of theinventor's currently pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/001,105, filed Dec. 1, 2004, and its parent U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/641,452, filed Aug. 16, 2003, all of which are by the sameinventors hereof.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of collapsiblebelow-grade barriers which may be employed as a barrier to vehiclemovement. In particular, the present invention provides a simplebelow-grade mounted bollard and cable system providing a collapsiblebarrier protecting a wide spatial area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an automatic collapsibleself-contained, below-grade traffic barrier bollard and cable systemwhich may be installed with a minimum amount of excavation and minimumon-site construction. The system may be installed into a foundationperimeter and features a novel and unique rapid deployment system.

2. Description of the Prior Art

With the recent terrorists' attacks and threats of further attacks,security has become of utmost concern to businesses, local, state andfederal governments and especially the military. Many security devicesare currently available, such as traffic barricades. These trafficbarricades come in a wide variety of types adapted for general andspecific purposes. However, the present invention relates specificallyto collapsible road traffic barriers and barricades.

Collapsible road traffic barriers and barricades are well known in theprior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,185, which issued toEikelenboon on Aug. 29, 1989, discloses a collapsible road trafficbarrier comprised of a foundation pit, a frame located in the foundationpit, an expandable traffic barrier element mounted in the frame, atleast one energy absorption element extending from a rear wall of thefoundation pit to a rear side of the frame, and at least one stretchingelement connected between the front side of the frame and the front wallof the foundation pit. A large disadvantage of this prior art device isthat once a vehicle crashes into the device it is difficult and timeconsuming to repair afterwards.

Another example is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,737, which issued toNasatka, et al, on Jul. 25, 1989, discloses a vehicle barricadecomprised of a frame to which a traffic barrier plate is pivotallymounted for being moved between a passage and a blocking position. Hereagain, this prior art device is difficult and time consuming to repairafter a crash. Moreover, the hydraulic actuator is slow in activation.

Still another example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,696, whichissued to Brodski, provides a system that prevents motorists fromcrossing railroad tracks such that when the warning gates are downduring the approach of a train, this invention provides for a pluralityof piercing cogs that retract from the ground when the railroad crossinggates are closed. The device of this invention pierces the tires ofvehicles crossing thereover but does not stop the vehicles from passingtherethrough. Moreover, this prior art device has a similar problem ofbeing difficult and time consuming to repair following a crash.

Yet another example is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,426, which issued toPerea on Nov. 10, 1987. The traffic barrier disclosed in this patentcomprises a vault buried within and transverse to the roadway. The vaulthas within a latched plurality of traffic barrier arms that may beraised by any powered means, or manually, and the raised traffic barrierarms being positioned within the vault so that impact forces aretransmitted directly to the vault, and to a foundation, and little or noload is supported by a pivoting mechanism disposed therein. This devicehas a similar problem of being difficult and time consuming to repairfollowing a crash.

Accordingly, it is seen that there exists a need for an automaticself-contained collapsible traffic barrier bollard and cable system,which can be installed with minimum excavation and on-site constructioninto a foundation perimeter and features a novel and unique rapiddeployment system, and which is capable of being repaired in a briefamount of time. Ideally, the device of the present invention shouldencompass rapid deployment, portability, and ease of replacement.

The prior art collapsible road traffic barriers, as identified above,fail to provide the benefits intended with the present invention, suchas providing an automatic self-contained collapsible traffic barrierbollard and cable system that is easy to repair after a crash.Additionally, prior art techniques do not suggest the present inventivecombination of component elements as disclosed and claimed herein. Thepresent invention achieves its intended purposes, objectives andadvantages over the prior art device through a new, useful and unobviouscombination of component elements, which are simple to use, arereasonably simple and inexpensive to manufacture, assemble, test and maybe manufactured of readily available materials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As will be amplified in greater detail hereinbelow, the presentinvention solves one of the prior art problems by providing abelow-grade collapsible bollard and cable vehicle barrier system in avehicle pathway. The system comprises one or more bollard devices thatinclude a vault located in the vehicle pathway, a rod rotatably mountedinside the vault, a bollard having a first end coupled to the rod,whereby rotation of the rod rotates the bollard to extend the second endthereof above the vehicle pathway. An actuator is secured within thevault for rotating the rod and thus raising the bollard. A cable isdisposed perpendicular to the vehicle pathway with each end thereofaffixed to anchors on either side of the pathway. The middle of thecable is affixed to the second end of the bollard. When the bollard israised the cable is stretched across the pathway forming a barrier totraffic.

The present invention is a barrier formed by one or more cables, orother similar flexible elongated barrier elements, that have a groundlevel condition when in storage and have a raised condition when activeas a barrier. The ground level condition allows movement of vehiclesover the barrier element due to the small size of the barrier element.The raised condition is enabled by one or more flush below-surfacemounted bollards to which the barrier element is secured and retained.The bollards are each rotated from a flush down condition to an uprightorientation to elevate the barrier element.

In a preferred embodiment, a barrier element of at least two steelcables is secured at opposite ends to deadweights, or other permanentanchors, located at bounding sides of a vehicle path across which acollapsible barrier is to be found. A single flush-mounted rotatablebollard, secured to the cables, is mounted within the vehicle pathsurface between the deadweights.

One object of the invention is a simple and inexpensive collapsiblevehicle barrier capable of protecting an extensive path width.

Another object of the invention is a collapsible vehicle barrierconfigured to be installed across commercial aircraft runways withoutimpeding aircraft taxi traffic.

Still other objects, features and advantages of the present inventionwill become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from thefollowing detailed description, wherein is shown and described only thepreferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration ofthe best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will berealized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments,and its several details are capable of modifications in various obviousrespects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, thedrawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature,and not as restrictive, and what is intended to be protected by LettersPatent is set forth in the appended claims. The present invention willbecome apparent when taken in conjunction with the following descriptionand attached drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts, andwhich drawings form a part of this application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible barrier according to theinvention, which barrier is formed by multiple flush-mounted bollardsretaining and raising multiple cables as barrier elements.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a barrier formed by a singleflush-mounted bollard with a cable barrier secured at its ends bydeadweight.

FIG. 3 is the embodiment of FIG. 2 in an inactive stored condition wherethe barrier element cable is lying on the ground across the vehiclepath.

FIG. 4 is an alternative embodiment of the invention in which a barrierelement cable is secured at its ends by buried anchors.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating pertinent parts ofan exemplary bollard for supporting the cable of the barrier, which viewincludes the rotation rod and bushings for rotatably securing therotating rod.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings and to FIG. 1 in particular, multiplebollards 10 are shown retaining and elevating barrier elements that havethe form of two flexible steel cables 20. The condition shown is araised condition, wherein cables 20 are elevated by the bollards 10above respective bollard vaults 12. The vaults 12, in use, are buriedinto, and flush with, the surface of a vehicle path. In most cases, thevehicle path is formed of pavement directly on the ground.

In a stored or down condition, the bollards 10 are each received within,and flush to, the top of its respective bollard vault 12. In thiscondition, the cables 20 are flush to the vehicle path.

In operation, as a vehicle barrier, the bollards 10 are raised to placethe cables 20 in the path of a vehicle. The cables 20 intercept thevehicle and prevent continued motion of the vehicle past the cables 20.The vehicle's energy is absorbed by the cables 20, bollards 10 andvaults 12. The vehicle force is resisted by the vault mounting in theground and any cable end anchoring.

The cables are designed to provide sufficient strength and toughness toabsorb the vehicle energy and force. Preferably, the cable is wound orbraided multi-strand steel cable.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention is shown. As shown in these figures, a single bollard 10 andvault 12 are flush mounted in a vehicle path, such as a roadway 30. Thecable 20 is secured to the distal end of the bollard 10 to be moved,alternatively, into a raised and down positions as describedhereinabove. The cable ends are secured to deadweights 40 locatedadjacent the sides of the roadway 30. The deadweights 40 are designedand constructed to provide resistance to cable forces during impact by avehicle. The deadweight 40 may be formed of concrete blocks. The cable20 crosses, and is elevated above, the roadway 30, in order to interceptvehicles traveling on the roadway when it is undesired, such as when thecable is in the raised condition as shown. In FIG. 2, the vehicle path30 is depicted as transparent around the vault 12 in order to provideviewing of the buried vault 12.

With reference to FIG. 3, the bollard 10 is in the down condition,allowing the cable 20 to rest on the roadway 30, thereby allowingvehicles to cross (over the cable). The cable length should besufficient to provide slack for this configuration and function. Thecable 20, or alternative barrier element, must have sufficientflexibility, also, to passively move between the raised and downconditions as described. In FIG. 3, the roadway 30 is opaque such thatonly flush top of the vault is visible.

Referring now to FIG. 4, al alternative configuration is shown securedat its ends to ground anchors 45. The ground anchors 45 may beflush-buried deadweights or other similar securing means. Note that dueto ground level securing of the cable 20, the cable in the raisedcondition is not horizontal, but rather sloped to the ends.

The protected vehicle path may be a roadway for automobiles or anairplane runway. The width of the barrier may be increased by increasingthe length of the cable 20, and increasing the number of bollards 10 asnecessary to provide a sufficiently supported and elevated barrier. Thenumber and size of the cables 20 may be increased in order to absorb theenergy of larger vehicles as expected in any particular application.Similarly, the size of the vault 12 and height of the bollard 10 may beadjusted to accommodate particular application parameters.

The invention includes methods of protecting a protected border or areafrom entry by vehicles wherein at least on thin flexible elongatedbarrier element is disposed substantially on the ground such as to allowpassage by vehicles during unprotected conditions; and during protectedconditions, raising the barrier element and restraining it on bollardsin order to created a vehicle stopping barrier.

An exemplary individual vault 12 and bollard 10 design and constructionis illustrated the exploded perspective view of FIG. 5. Each bushing 32is broken down into a top half 32 a and a bottom half 32 b, which arebolted together by means of bolts 32 c. The bushing 32 is then attachedto one of several I-beams (not shown) within the vault 12 by means ofbolts 32 d. Thereafter, a rotating rod 26 is located therein and thebushings are secured together by means of the bolts 32 c. A sleeve 27has attached thereto brackets 35, which are threaded onto the rotatingrod 26 through openings 35 a formed therein.

A pivot arm 37 is likewise threaded onto the rotating arm throughopenings 37 a formed therein. A base plate 55 is welded onto the end ofthe pivot arm 37 opposite the ended threaded onto the rod 26.Thereafter, a clevis 52 is bolted onto the base plate 55 by means ofbolts 52 a. The bollard 10 is inserted into the sleeve 27 and a pin 36is inserted into mating openings 27 a in the sleeve 27 and 34 a of thebollard 10. The keys 50 are then inserted into openings 36 a and 36 b onrespective ends of the pin 36 for securing it in place.

Once all the components are assembled and aligned and an actuator 38 isinstalled, the operating end thereof is inserted in the clevis 52. A pin57 is then inserted into openings 52 a and 52 b of the clevis 52 as wellas opening 38 a of the actuator 38. The pin 57 is held in place by meansof keys 58 inserted into openings 57 a and 57 b formed in each endthereof.

When the system 10 of the present invention is activated or deployed,the traffic barrier bollards 10 are raised in a fashion so that they aretilted toward the oncoming vehicular traffic. During this process, thetraffic barrier arms are raised to the point where they stop against asolid steel plate 42 which limits and controls the travel of the base ofthe each respective bollard 10. Typical deployment time for raising thebollards is approximately 3 to 18 seconds.

As stated hereinabove, when the bollards 10 are in the raised or uprightposition, and the cable 20 is likewise hoisted, the bollards form anangle (e.g., 900 or less) with the road surface toward the oncomingtraffic. When a vehicle makes contact with the cable the cableultimately stops the vehicle.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a specificembodiment, this description is not meant to be construed in a limitingsense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiment as well asalternative embodiments of the invention will become apparent to oneskilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention.It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover anysuch modifications of embodiments that fall within the true scope of theinvention.

1. A below-grade collapsible bollard and cable vehicle barrier systemdisposed in a vehicle pathway comprising: a. a vault having a top, abottom, two ends, an approach side and a shoulder side, said vault beinglocated near the center of said vehicle pathway; b. a rod rotatablymounted inside said vault, said rod extending perpendicular to thedirection of traffic movement; c. a bollard having a first end and asecond end, said bollard being coupled to said rod substantially nearsaid first end, whereby rotation of said rod rotates said bollard toextend the second end thereof above said vault in a vertical direction,hereafter raised position; d. an actuator having a first end securedwithin said vault and a second end coupled to said rod through an arm,said actuator being disposed for rotating said rod; and, e. a cablehaving each end thereof affixed to deadweight anchors on either side ofsaid vehicle pathway, and said cable being disposed perpendicular tosaid vehicle pathway, said cable also being affixed near the second endof said bollard, whereby when said bollard is in said raised positionsaid cable is stretched across said vehicle pathway and when saidbollard is in a lowered position said cable is relaxed on said vehiclepathway.
 2. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a sleevedisposed for removably receiving said bollard near said first endthereof, said sleeve being secured to said rod by means of at least onebracket welded to both said sleeve and said rod, said bollard beingremovably secured to said sleeve by means of a removable pin.
 3. Thesystem as in claim 1 further comprising at least two split bushingssecured within said vault on either side of said bollard so as torotatably mount said rod.
 4. The system as in claim 1 wherein saidactuator is driven by an electric motor driving a worm gear.
 5. Thesystem as in claim 4 wherein said actuator is flexibly secured to saidarm by means of a pin through a clevis mounted to said arm.
 6. Thesystem as in claim 1 further comprising a stop anchored to the bottom ofsaid vault for engaging the first end of said bollard when said bollardis in said raised position.
 7. An automatic self-contained below-gradecollapsible bollard and cable traffic barrier system disposed in avehicle pathway comprising: a. a vault having a top, a bottom, two ends,an approach side and a shoulder side; b. a rod rotatably mounted tosupport members inside said vault, said rod extending across said vaultfrom end to end and perpendicular to traffic flow; c. a bollard having afirst end and a second end, said bollard being coupled to said rodsubstantially near said first end, whereby rotation of said rod rotatessaid bollard so as to extend the second end thereof above said vault ina vertical direction, hereafter raised position; d. a sleeve forremovably receiving said bollard near said first end thereof, saidsleeve being secured to said rod by means of brackets welded to bothsaid sleeve and said rod, said bollard being removably secured to saidsleeve by means of a removable pin; e. an actuator having a first endanchored within said vault and a second end coupled to said rod by meansof an arm, said actuator being disposed for rotating said rod; and, f. acable having each end anchored on either side of said vehicle pathway,said cable being disposed perpendicular to said vehicle pathway, saidcable also being affixed near the second end of said bollard, wherebywhen said bollard is in said raised position said cable is s stretchedacross said vehicle pathway and when said bollard is in a loweredposition said cable is relaxed on said vehicle pathway.
 8. The system asin claim 7 further including a stop anchored to the bottom of said vaultfor engaging the first end of said bollard when said bollard is in saidraised position.
 9. The system as in claim 7 further including astrong-back member disposed above said rod for added stability to saidsystem.
 10. The system as in claim 7 wherein said support memberscomprise a plurality of steel I-beams disposed between said approachside and said shoulder side of said vault.
 11. The system as in claim 7wherein said actuator is operated by an electric motor driving a wormgear.
 12. An automatic self-contained below-grade bollard and cabletraffic control apparatus, said apparatus comprising: a. a plurality ofbollard devices spaced across a vehicle pathway, each device comprising;i) a vault adapted for being placed transverse said vehicle pathway andin the pavement thereof, said vault having a top, a bottom, two ends, anapproach side and a shoulder side; ii) a rod rotatably mounted tosupport members inside said vault, said rod extending across said vaultperpendicular to the direction of traffic movement; iii) a bollardhaving a first end and a second end, said bollard being coupled to saidrod substantially near said first end thereof, whereby rotation of saidrod rotates said bollard so as to extend the second end thereof abovesaid vault in a vertical direction, hereafter raised position; iv) anactuator having a first end anchored within said vault and a second endcoupled to said rod by means of an arm, said actuator being disposed forrotating said rod; and, b. a cable stretched across said vehicle pathwayand being coupled near the second of each of said bollards, whereby whensaid bollards are in said raised position said cable is stretched acrosssaid vehicle pathway and when said bollards are in a lowered positionsaid cable is relaxed on said vehicle pathway.
 13. The device as inclaim 12 wherein said support members comprise a plurality of steelI-beams disposed between said approach side and said shoulder side ofsaid vault.
 14. The device as in claim 12 wherein said top of each ofsaid vaults comprises sheet steel having anti-skid treatment thereon forexposure to traffic.
 15. The device as in claim 12 wherein said actuatoris operated by an electric motor driving a worm gear.
 16. The device asin claim 12 wherein said electric motor is controllable by a switchcoupled to a source of electricity.
 17. The device as in claim 12electric motor is controllable by a remote control switch.
 18. Thedevice as in claim 12 wherein each of said vaults includes waterdrainage openings.
 19. The device as in claim 12 wherein said bollarddevice further includes a stop anchored to the bottom of said vault forengaging the first end of said bollard when said bollard is in saidraised position.
 20. The device as in claim 12 wherein said cablecomprises more than one steel cable affixed at points along an edge ofeach of said bollards.